Stay in Guilin or Yangshuo: 3 Reasons for Both

the Li River

An old saying goes that
“Guilin's scenery is the best in the world, and Yangshuo’s scenery is the best
in Guilin”. So people ask the questions: “Where should I stay: Guilin or
Yangshuo? Should we go straight to Yangshuo and miss out the city of Guilin?”

Here
is the quick answer:

Guilin city is best for transport
and is convenient for a one/two-night stay and to do some city sightseeing. Yangshuo,
with better scenery and more attractions, hotels, and restaurants, is a place
you can settle down to enjoy your vacation.

Read on to find out more
about the reasons for staying in Guilin or Yangshuo, and to see a sample
itinerary for inspiration.

3 Reasons to Stay in Downtown Guilin

1. It’s the Area’s Transport Hub

Guilin Railway Station

Guilin city has 12 surrounding
counties including Yangshuo and Longsheng. Guilin City is located between
Yangshuo and Longsheng. The main airport, train stations, and bus stations are
all located in Guilin City.

It only takes 40 minutes’
drive to get from the airport to the downtown area. It takes about 1½ hours to get
to Yangshuo and 2 hours to get to the Longji Rice Terraces from the airport.

Guilin is the transport hub
for people to travel around the area. Because of this, Guilin City may be worth
a stay to break up a journey, especially for those who take a late flight or
train in, or an early one out.

2. Guilin is the Start of the Li
River Cruise

The Li River is the most popular
and picturesque scenic area in Guilin. It is listed as one of the “world's 15 best
rivers for travelers” by CNN Travel. It is no exaggeration to say that the Li
River is the main reason for most tourists to visit Guilin.

The best way to visit the
Li River is to take a cruise boat from Guilin to Yangshuo. Cruise boats usually
depart at 9:30am and 10am every day. The boarding point for a Li River cruise
is about 30 kilometers or 45 minutes' drive from Guilin city center, but 2
hours from Yangshuo, so staying the night in Guilin to take the cruise in the
morning makes sense.

3. Guilin Is a Place with Much
to See

Reed Flute Cave

In Guilin City, there are some
top sights. Reed Flute Cave in the suburbs is the
most popular and attractive cave in Guilin.

ElephantTrunk Hill and Fubo
Hill in downtown Guilin offer their own iconic attractions: a hill
shaped like an elephant and panoramic views of the Li River and Guilin City.

The Two Rivers and Four
Lakes water system in
the center is stunning and colorful at night. Taking a cruise on the four lakes
is a popular nighttime activity.

Daxu Ancient Town, 20 kilometers southeast
of Guilin City, is also worth a visit. The bluestone paving and ancient houses
will take you back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

3 Reasons to Stay in Yangshuo

1. Beautiful Karst Scenery

Yulong River in Yangshuo

Surrounded by karst
mountains, winding rivers, and beautiful scenery, Yangshuo is much like a huge
national park. You can stay from one night to several nights, or even settle
down for your vacation there.

Yangshuo offers various
ways to admire the karst landscape. You can take a bamboo raft on the Yulong
River to immerse yourself among the karst mountains or climb up Xianggong Hill
for a stunning bird’s-eye view of the Li River.

2. Rich Activity Options

Beyond the karst scenery, there
are many outdoor activities you can do in Yangshuo. You can bike around the
countryside, or go hill/rock climbing, caving, rafting, kayaking, or hiking.
Read more about Yangshuo
outdoor activities.

Biking in Yangshuo

Yangshuo also has a variety
of traditional Chinese classes to offer, such as a calligraphy and painting class,
a tai chi class, and a cookery class. These classes offer a good opportunity
for you to learn about the different culture.

To have close contact with the
local people, you can visit a village and try some farming activities, such as
planting vegetables and plowing a field.

Just let us know which kind of activity you
are interested in and we can add it into your Yangshuo tour.

3. A Wide Range of Hotel and Restaurant
Options

Yangshuo is popular among
foreigners not only for its beautiful scenery but also for its foreigner-friendly
atmosphere. You can find a wide range of hotels from luxury to boutique to
guesthouses, and many restaurants offering various cuisines including Chinese,
Western, Indian, Thai, Italian, and vegetarian.

It is very popular to stay
in a scenic hotel along the banks of the Yulong River or in a boutique hotel
with a rich cultural ambience that’s hidden away in a local village.

Around West Street there
are countless cafés and bars to unwind in.

A Sample Itinerary Including Guilin
and Yangshuo

Li Rive cruise

Simply put, Guilin and
Yangshuo are both worthy of a stay. Whether you stay for a longer or shorter
duration depends entirely on your schedule and interests.

Here is a sample itinerary for
Guilin and Yangshuo:

Day
1 — Stay in Guilin: Arrive in Guilin and do some sightseeing in the city.

Day
2 — Stay in Yangshuo: Take a Li River cruise in the morning and explore Yangshuo in the afternoon.

Day
3 — Depart: Stay longer in Yangshuo or get back to Guilin for your departure flight.

If you would like to visit the Longji Rice Terraces, you should add on an
extra day. There are hotels and guesthouses available on the terraced fields,
but most of them are basic. Visitors who have high requirements for hotels or
want to enjoy the city’s nightlife are recommended to return to Guilin City.

Tour Guilin and Yangshuo with a Local
Expert

We, at China Highlights, are
based in Guilin and we know the tourist scene here as well as anyone. We have customized
thousands of Guilin tours to help our customers maximize their stay in Guilin.
Here are some sample tours for your reference: